Seamless stocking and method of making same

ABSTRACT

Tubular or seamless stocking having a double-ply welt, a leg portion and a foot portion with a multi-ply toe portion and to a method of knitting such stocking and closing the toe portion thereof on a circular knitting machine. The multi-ply toe portion includes first and second plies connected to the foot and a third ply enclosed within the first and second plies, the third ply having a draw yarn interlaced in courses adjacent the free end thereof which acts when partially withdrawn from the courses to gather the free end of the third ply into a tight bunch to close outer connected ends of the first and second plies.

United States Patent n 13,s7s,019

[72] lnventor Richard M. Janda Reading, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 797,975 [22] Filed Feb. 10, 1969 [45] Patented Apr. 13, 1971 [73] Assignee North American Rockwell Corporation Pittsburgh, Pa. Continuation-impart of application Scr. No. 779,733, Nov. 29, 1968.

[54] SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME 7 Claims, 15 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 66/187, 66/190 [51] Int. Cl D04b 9/56 [50] FieldofSearch 66/1,9,4l, 95,178,187,170,169,173,190

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,746 8/ 1910 Hoefer et a1. 66/1 1,025,328 5/1912 Staton 66/173 2,601,771 7/1952 Cameron 66/170 2,747,390 5/ 1956 Reymes-Cole 66/ 173 OTHER REFERENCES The Hosiery Trade Journal," April 1968, Vol. 75, No. 892, P. 147, Copy in 66/187.

Primary Examiner-Wm. Carter Reynolds Attorneys-John R. Bronaugh, Floyd S. Levison, E. Dennis OConnor and Richard A. Speer ABSTRACT: Tubular or seamless stocking having a doubleply welt, a leg portion and a foot portion with a multi-ply toe portion and to a method of knitting such stocking and closing the toe portion thereof on a circular knitting machine. The multi-ply toe portion includes first and second plies connected to the foot and a third ply enclosed within the first'and second plies, the third ply having a draw yarn interlaced in courses adjacent the free end thereof which acts when partially withdrawn from the courses to gather the free end of the third ply into a tight bunch to close outer connected ends of the first and second plies.

Patented. April 13, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented April 13, 1971 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented April 13, 1971 3,575,019

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 .27 {62 Tlcsi 'l 45 $55 SEAMLESS STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME The present application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application Ser. No. 779,733 filed Nov. 29, 1968, as to all subject matter common thereto. Said prior application is directed to the provision of a double ply portion on one end of a tubular fabric, the double ply portion having a draw thread interlaced with and acting to gather the stitches of courses defining the outer end of the double ply portion into a bunch to close said outer end.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly summarized the invention resides in the formation and closure of the outer end of a multi-ply toe portion of a seamless stocking knitted from welt to toe, the muIti-ply toe portion having first and second plies with inner ends connected to the end of the foot portion of the stocking and outer connected ends defining the outer end of the toe portion, a third ply intermediate the first and second plies with an inner end connected to the inner end of the second ply and an outer free end adjacent the outer ends of the first and second plies and a draw strand interlaced with stitches of courses adjacent the free end of the third ply to gather it into a bunch around the outer connected ends of the first and second plies to close the outer end of the toe portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view of a stocking having a toe portion made in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the foot of the stocking of FIG. 1 taken in the direction of the arrow A;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a portion of a multifeed circular knitting machine adapted to make the stocking of FIGS. l to 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line and in the direction of the arrows 5-5 of FIG. 4 and showing the parts of the machine during one step in the formation of the toe portion of the stocking of FIG. l; and

FIGS. 6 to 115 are views similar to FIG. 5 showing further steps in the formation of the toe portion of the stocking.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings there is shown a ladies seamless stocking it) having a tubular double-ply welt portion ill, a tubular leg portion 112, a tubular foot portion 15, a heel pocket to and a toe portion 117. The welt portion which is knitted of a heavy yarn and the leg and foot portions which are knitted of relatively lightweight yarns are conventionally formed during rotary knitting on a circular knitting machine, to be hereinafter described, and the heel pocket, which may also be knitted of heavy yarn, is conventionally formed by either rotary or reciprocatory knitting by methods well known in the prior art. The stocking is knitted starting at the welt and ending at the toe. The welt, leg and foot portions and the heel pocket are shown to indicate essential parts of the stocking l0 but otherwise form no part of the instant invention.

According to the invention the toe portion l7 (see FIG. 3) includes a first or inner ply having an inner terminal course 2H connected to a terminal course 22 of the foot portion 15, a second or outer ply 25 having an inner terminal course 26 and a third ply 27 which has a length slightly greater than that of the second ply, intermediate the first and second plies, the third ply having a terminal course 30 at one end thereof connected to the inner terminal course of the second ply and a terminal course 31 at the other free end thereof. The first ply Ed has an outer terminal course 32 which is connected to an outer terminal course 35 of the second ply 25, the outer terminal courses 32 and 3S defining an outer end 36 of the toe portion 117. A draw yarn or strand 37 is interlaced with a pair of courses, indicated at 38, of the third ply, in the manner disclosed in said application Ser. No. 779,733, at a position therein adjacent the outer terminal courses of the first and second plies. The draw yarn 37 is adapted to be drawn through the stitches of the courses 38 to gather the third ply 27 into a bunch around the outer terminal courses of the first and second plies 20 and 25 to close the outer end 36 of the toe portion l7 and the draw yarn is then wrapped for a plurality of turns around the third ply, as indicated at 40, in the manner hereinafter set forth. The inner terminal course 26 of the second ply 25 is connected to the terminal course 22 of the foot portion by a course 41 which is the first course of a short fabric tab 42. It is to be here noted that where reference is made herein to the outer end the toe portion such reference is made to the toe portion as it is formed during the knitting procedure and not the position of the outer end of the toe portion as it appears in the finished stocking of FIGS. 1 and 2.

The stocking 10 is adapted to be knitted on a conventional circular knitting machine as, for example, one of the type shown in US. Pat. No. 3,205,683, issued Sept. 14, 1965. The machine has a usual circle of independently operated latch needles 45 (FIGS. 4 and 5) which are slidably mounted in slots in a cylinder 46, sinkers 47 cooperating with the needles and dial bits 50 which are mounted in a dial 51. The dial bits 50 are operated in cooperation with the needles 45 forming the double-ply welt portion 11 of the stocking 10 in the conventional manner. The machine has a main knitting station 52 having yarn fingers 55 for feeding yarn to the needles and cams (not shown) for operating the needles in cooperation with the sinkers in knit yarns fed thereto into courses of stitches during both rotary and reciprocatory operation of the machine in forming the stocking 10. The machine also has a second or auxiliary knitting station 56 having yarn fingers 57 and cams (not shown) for operating the needles to knit yarns fed thereto into courses of stitches with the main knitting station to form multifeed portions of the stocking 10 during rotary operation of the machine. The machine also includes selecting means (not shown herein) at each of the knitting stations for causing certain selected needles to follow a knitting path to knit plain stitches and for causing other selected needles to follow tuck and nonknitting or float paths to form design stitches generally in the manner disclosed in said US. Pat. No. 3,205,683.

In forming the stocking ill] on the machine referred to herein, the stocking is knitted from welt to toe with the welt 11 being preferably formed of courses of relatively heavy yarns and the leg portion 12 to the start of the heel pocket 16 being formed of courses of lightweight yarns fed by yarn fingers to all of the needles at both stations 52 and 56. When the stocking includes a reciprocatorily knitted heel pocket 16 the auxiliary knitting station 56 is inactivated while the heel pocket is knitted at the main station on a portion of the needles in the usual manner. At the completion of the heel pocket the auxiliary station is again activated to knit with the main station on all of the needles to form courses of the foot portion 15 to the terminal course 22 of the same lightweight yarns used in the leg portion.

Following formation of the course 22, which may be knitted at either station 52 or 56, alternate needles are inactivated by causing them to follow nonknitting paths, indicated by the needles in the low position of FIG. 5, at both stations with stitches of the terminal course 22 of the foot portion suspended thereon. The inten'nediate or intervening needles then continue to operate along knitting paths, indicated by the high positions of the needles in FIG. 5, at both stations 52 and se to knit courses of lightweight yarns fed thereto by yarn fingers at both stations to form a double fabric portion 60 (FIG. 6) having the same number of courses as required in the first ply 20 of the toe portion 17 and including the inner terminal course 21 connected to stitches of the course 22 of the foot portion formed by the intervening needles and the outer terminal course 32. Knitting is then continued at both knitting stations to form courses of the second ply 25 including the outer terminal course 35 which is connected to the outer terminal course 32 of the first ply 20 (FIG. 7).

Preferably after a few courses of the second ply are formed a second yarn finger is activated at each knitting station to feed a heavyweight reinforcing yarn with the lightweight yarn fed thereat and all of the remaining courses of the second ply 25 are knitted of both yarns. During formation of the inner terminal course 26 of the second ply, which is knitted at the main knitting station 52, the dial bits 50 are operated to engage bights of the yarn extending between the stitches of the course 26 formed by the intervening needles (HO. 8). With the yarn bights of the inner terminal course 26 suspended from the dial bits, courses are knitted of both lightweight and reinforcing yarns by the intervening needles at both stations to form courses of the third ply 27 including the course 30 at one end thereof which is connected to the stitches of the inner terminal course 26 of the second ply 25. Following the formation of the first of the pair of courses 38, which is knitted at the main station 52, one of the yarn fingers is inactivated and the yarn thereof issevered and every other intervening needle is operated along a tucking path at the auxiliary station 56 (FIG. 9), in the manner set forth in said application Ser. No. 779,733, to take the other yarn fed at this station in the hooks thereof while the remaining intervening needles are operated along the nonknitting path to hold their stitches of the first of the courses 38. The yam of the auxiliary station taken in the hooks of the intervening needles now becomes the draw yarn 37 and all of the intervening needles are then caused to operate along the nonknitting path with the alternate needles at the auxiliary station (FIG. 10) during formation of the remaining courses of the third ply without, however, removing the yarn finger feeding the draw yarn 37 from active position at this station.

After the intervening needles are operated to take the draw yarn 37, as above set forth, all of the intervening needles are operated at the main station to form the second of the pair of courses 38 and at this time the draw yarn is interlaced with the stitches of the pair of courses 38 in the manner disclosed in said application Ser. No. 779,733. The remaining courses of the third ply 27 are then knitted at the main station.

Following the formation of the outer terminal course 31 of the third ply, the yarn fingers are raised to inactive positions at the main station 52 and the yarns thereof are severed and the intervening needles are then operated to knit off the terminal course 31 (HO. H). A member 62, similar to the member 61 of said application, is manually operated or mechanically operated by means not shown herein to partially withdraw the draw yarn 37 from the courses 38 to gather them into a bunch around the outer tenninal courses of the first and second plies 20 and 25 to close the outer end 36 of the toe portion 17 and the draw yarn is then wrapped for a plurality of turns around the third ply and outer terminal courses as the cylinder 46 and needles 45 are idly rotated (FIG. 12). It is to be noted that where the draw yarn is gradually withdrawn from the fabric courses by the member 61 as set forth in said application the draw yarn 37 herein is rapidly withdrawn from the courses 38 by the member 62 to gather the courses 38 around the outer end of the toe before the draw yam 37 is wrapped around the gathered courses of the third ply 27. Following the last idle rotation of the cylinder and needles the yarn finger for the draw yarn at the auxiliary station is inactivated and the draw yam is then severed (FIG. 13). The alternate needles are then reactivated to follow the knitting path with the intervening needles at the main station and the dial bits 50 are operated to transfer the yarn bights of the inner terminal course 26 of the second ply 25 to the alternate needles (H6. 14) in the same manner as during the conventional closing of the double-ply welt portions of stockings. At this time both the third ply 27 and the severed end of the draw yarn 37 are enclosed within the first and second plies 20 and 25. Simultaneously with the transfer of the yarn bights from the dial bits to the alternate needles the yarn fingers 55 at the main station 52 are activated to feed the light and heavy yarns to all of the needles to knit the first course 41 of the fabric tab 42 and to interknit the stitches of the terminal course 22 of the foot portion and the yarn bights of the inner terminal course 26 of the second ply on the alternate needles. All of the needles are then activated to follow the knitting path and yarn fingers 57 are also activated at the auxiliary station 56 to feed either a lightweight yarn or a heavy yarn with a stretch type yarn such as spandex or the like to the needles to form a second course of the tab 42. Knitting then continues at both stations to form the remaining courses of the tab 42 (FIG. 15) with the courses including the stretch yarn providing run-resist characteristics to the tab. Following formation of the last course of the tab the yarn fingers at both stations are inactivated and the yarns thereof severed and the last course is knitted off the needles to complete the stocking.

Alternatively, after the draw yarn 37 is withdrawn to close the outer terminal end 36 of the toe portion 17, and following the transfer of the inner terminal course 26 to the needles and formation of the first course of the tab 42 at the main station 52, as above set forth, the yarn finger for the draw yarn may be maintained in active position and a second yarn finger activated to feed a stretch yarn such as spandex and the like with the draw yarn to all of the needles at the auxiliary station to form the second course of the tab 42. Knitting then continues at both stations to form the remaining courses of the tab 42.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the above described procedure will result in the enclosure of the third ply and the draw yarn therein within the inner and outer plies of the toe both when the draw yarn is severed and when the draw yarn extends between the wrap portions thereof and the second course of the tab 42 as above described.

Also it is believed to be obvious that while the methods of the invention have been described herein in connection with a machine having two knitting stations the same methods may be carried out on machines having more than two knitting stations with the various portions of the toe being formed of courses knitted at some or all of the stations of the machine.

It will be understood that the improvements specifically shown and described by which the above results are obtained can be changed and modified in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

lclaim:

l. A knitted fabric tube having a multi-ply portion projecting from one end thereof, said multi-ply portion being formed of interconnected courses of stitches and including a first ply having an inner terminal course connected to a terminal course of said tube, a second ply having an inner terminal course connected to said terminal course of said tube, said first and second plies having outer connected terminal courses defining an outer end of said multi-ply portion, a third ply intermediate said first and second plies, said third ply having a terminal course at an inner end thereof connected to said inner terminal course of said second ply and a free outer end, and means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies to close said outer end of said multi-ply portion.

2. A fabric tube according to claim 1 in which said fabric tube is a stocking and said multi-ply portion comprises the toe portion of said stocking.

3. A stocking according to claim 2 in which said means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch comprises a draw yarn interlaced with stitches of a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said outer free end thereof, said draw yarn acting to gather said pair of courses of said third ply around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies.

4. A stocking according to claim 2 in which said means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch comprises a draw yarn interlaced with stitches of a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said outer free end thereof, said draw yarn acting to gather said pair of courses of said third ply around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies, and said draw yarn being tightly wrapped for a plurality of turns around said gathered courses of said third fabric tube including the steps of:

a. knitting yarn and forming courses of said fabric tube including a terminal course thereof;

b. holding alternate stitches of said terminal course of said tube;

c. knitting yarn and forming courses of a first ply of said multi-ply portion including an inner tenninal course having stitches connected to stitches of said terminal course of said tube intermediate said alternate stitches and an outer terminal course;

. knitting yarn and fonning courses of a second ply of said multi-ply portion including an outer terminal course connected to said outer terminal course of said first ply and an inner terminal course, said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies defining the outer end of said multi-ply portion;

e. withholding bights of yarn connecting the stitches of said inner terminal course of said second ply;

knitting yarn and forming courses of a third ply including a terminal couise at one end thereof connected to said inner terminal course of said second ply and a free terminal course at the other end thereof;

g. gathering said other end of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies to close said outer end of said multi-ply portion;

h. enclosing said third ply within said first and second plies;

and

i. knitting yarn and forming a first course of a fabric tab to connect said alternate stitches of said terminal course of said tube and said yarn bights between stitches of said inner terminal course of said second ply.

6. A method according to claim 5 in which said step (g) comprises interlacing a draw strand in a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said other end thereof and partially withdrawing said draw strand to gather said pair of courses of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies.

7. A method according to claim 6 including the additional steps of j. wrapping said draw strand for a plurality of turns around said gathered pair of courses of said third ply, and

k. severing said draw strand and enclosing the severed end of said draw yarn with said third ply within said first and second plies during step (h). 

1. A knitted fabric tube having a multi-ply portion projecting from one end thereof, said multi-ply portion being formed of interconnected courses of stitches and including a first ply having an inner terminal course connected to a terminal course of said tube, a second ply having an inner terminal course connected to said terminal course of said tube, said first and second plies having outer connected terminal courses defining an outer end of said multi-ply portion, a third ply intermediate said first and second plies, said third ply having a terminal course at an inner end thereof connected to said inner terminal course of said second ply and a free outer end, and means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies to close said outer end of said multi-ply portion.
 2. A fabric tube according to claim 1 in which said fabric tube is a stocking and said multi-ply portion comprises the toe portion of said stocking.
 3. A stocking according to claim 2 in which said means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch comprises a draw yarn interlaced with stitches of a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said outer free end thereof, said draw yarn acting to gather said pair of courses of said third ply around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies.
 4. A stocking according to claim 2 in which said means gathering said outer free end of said third ply into a bunch comprises a draw yarn interlaced with stitches of a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said outer free end thereof, said draw yarn acting to gather said pair of courses of said third ply around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies, and said draw yarn being tightly wrapped for a plurality of turns around said gathered courses of said third ply.
 5. A method of closing a multi-ply portion at one end of a fabric tube including the steps of: a. knitting yarn and forming courses of said fabric tube including a terminal course thereof; b. holding alternate stitches of said terminal course of said tube; c. knitting yarn and forming courses of a first ply of said multi-ply portion including an inner terminal course having stitches connected to stitches of said terminal course of said tube intermediate said alternate stitches and an outer terminal course; d. knitting yarn and forming courses of a second ply of said multi-ply portion including an outer terminal course connected to said outer terminal course of said first ply and an inner terminal course, said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies defining the outer end of said multi-ply portion; e. withholding bights of yarn connecting the stitches of said inner terminal course of said second ply; f. knitting yarn and forming courses of a third ply including a terminal course at one end thereof connected to said inner terminal course of said second ply and a free terminal course at the other end thereof; g. gathering said other end of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies to close said outer end of said multi-ply portion; h. enclosing said third ply within said first and second plies; and i. knitting yarn and forming a first course of a fabric tab to connect said alternate stitches of said terminal course of said tube and said yarn bights between stitches of said inner terminal course of said second ply.
 6. A method according to claim 5 in which said step (g) comprises interlacing a draw strand in a pair of courses of said third ply adjacent said other end thereof and partially withdrawing said draw strand to gather said pair of courses of said third ply into a bunch around said outer terminal courses of said first and second plies.
 7. A method according to claim 6 including the additional steps of j. wrapping said draw strand for a plurality of turns around said gathered pair of courses of said third ply, and k. severing said draw strand and enclosing the severed end of said draw yarn with said third ply within said first and second plies during step (h). 